When thinking about what service to use when you need a ride, you may automatically think of sending for a driver with your Uber or Lyft app before you’d think about calling for a cab. Rideshare services have made it easy to get a ride and get to where you need to be anytime and almost anywhere.

But just how safe are these rideshare services? It’s likely you’ve heard multiple news reports of accidents and assaults over the past few years, which is why it’s a good idea to evaluate your options when it comes to rideshare services versus other transportation industries.

With the popularity of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft increasing, it’s important to understand how these companies work so you can benefit from the service they provide. Media coverage has a lot to say about these companies, and not everything you hear is true. Below you’ll find some of the most common myths about Lyft and Uber, and where they fall on the true or false scale.

Before you can drive for Lyft or Uber, they’ll want you full name, birthdate, Social Security number, driver’s license number, car insurance information, and proof that your vehicle is inspected and safe.

Both companies use this information to perform background checks; however, the checks might not be as comprehensive as they could be. Both companies use third-party screening to perform background checks. Uber uses Checkr and Lyft uses Sterling BackCheck. While both of these checks comply with state and federal standards, FBI backgrounds check may contain more information.

Rideshare companies have been facing several issues lately. There have been reported incidences of sexual assault from drivers, discrimination, the hiring and training process, and keeping records of these events. But there’s also another major issue: driver imposters.

People are posing as drivers for major rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft and scamming people by having them swipe their credit cards before they get to their destination. The people being scammed are paying much more than what they would with the regulated companies. It’s also terrifying to think they were in a car with a stranger who wasn’t verified by these companies at all.

Do you have any idea who the driver of a rideshare vehicle is? Many people who use a service like Lyft or Uber in cities such as Las Vegas, or NYC, or Chicago believe that the driver has had a background check done prior to driving strangers around in a vehicle. Current drivers are indeed required to pass a background check, but every now and then a case happens where a driver falls through the cracks.

One such disturbing case was filed in June 2017. A Kansas City woman filed a lawsuit against Uber, saying a former driver with a criminal record raped her after driving her home in January. The lawsuit named two defendants– the company and the former driver, Yahkhahnahn Ammi. According to the lawsuit, Ammi drove the woman to multiple locations then talked his way into her home after driving her there. He then attacked her. The lawsuit alleges that Uber failed to act on earlier reports of Ammi assaulting others.

Issues regarding the exact legal status of drivers for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are beginning to work their way into appellate courts. Since our legal system is based on precedent, opinions by upper level courts are particularly useful for lawyers to predict how rideshare organizations should be treated at trial.

On January 24, 2018, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania issued its opinion in the matter of Donald Lowman v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review. Mr. Lowman had been gainfully employed as a “behavioral health specialist” until June 2015. He applied for unemployment compensation. In August 2015, the Unemployment Compensation Service Center determined that Mr. Lowman was not entitled to benefits even though he had lost his job. The basis for the initial conclusion was that his “enterprise” as an Uber driver rendered him ineligible for compensation.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice. Viewing does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. Prior case results do not guarantee a similar outcome.